Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Toast for my big boy," Ross said as he kissed his head. "Daddy I want to stay home with mummy," Jeremy said pouting. Ross looked over at Demelza, who was busy making sure everything was ready.

"We all want to stay home with mummy," Ross said seriously as he sat down and looked at him. "Even you?" Jeremy said. "Especially me," Ross said, "but I have to go to work, besides Julia goes to school..."

"Julia big girl," Jeremy said seriously. "And now you're a big boy," Ross said proudly. "I'm four, nearly five," Jeremy exclaimed. "My gosh," Ross said with a twinkle in his eye.

Julia came running in with her hair in plaits. "Morning daddy, Sam and Drake said they would be in when they've fed the goats..." Ross kissed her head. "Jeremy are you excited?" Julia asked him.

Jeremy looked at her. "I'm in year two, your in reception," Julia continued, "it's fun, you play and learn, I just learn now that's boring... " Ross laughed.

"Do they have Lego?" Jeremy asked her. Julia nodded her head. "And they have a mud kitchen..." Julia exclaimed. "I don't want to eat mud," Jeremy said seriously. Ross heard Demelza giggle and smiled at her, her frame now showing their new child nestled safely away.

"You don't have to eat mud silly," Julia exclaimed, "it's pretend play..." Jeremy looked at her and nodded. "You do phonics too," Julia continued, "each letter has a sound..."

Jeremy looked at overwhelmed and ran to Demelza as he saw her standing there. "That sounds fun doesn't it," Demelza said smiling, "and if you like the mud kitchen we can ask Jud to build you one."

Jeremy nodded and sighed. "Let's get you ready," Demelza exclaimed, "you will look so handsome in your uniform and I have to send pictures to auntie Verity and Caroline..."

Jeremy nodded and followed her up the stairs.

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Jeremy stood with Julia in her uniform posing for photos as Demelza and Ross took them on their phones. "My babies," Demelza exclaimed. "I'm not a baby," Julia said seriously. Ross looked at her and laughed.

"You will always be our babies," Ross said honestly, "now shall we go?" Jeremy shock his head. "No I stay here," Jeremy said, "I look after mummy and new baby..."

Demelza bent down to him. "My lover," she whispered, "school is so very precious, and so beautiful I want you to go and learn and make friends, I will be just fine and so will your brother or sister..." Jeremy's lip wobbled. "But I'll miss you," he said slowly.

"It won't be for long," Demelza said slowly, her hormones beginning to get to her. Ross picked up Jeremy and looked at him. "It will go so quickly and tonight when you get home we will have ice cream at the café..."

____

Jeremy looked at the playground and gasped at the size. "You don't go here," Julia said, "this is my playground... You have the small one..."

Jeremy held on tightly to Demelza. "Have a good day," Ross said as he kissed Julia, "be good, you have your lunchbox mum made you and a special snack from me that mum doesn't know..." Julia looked up at him. "Is it a Cadbury dairy milk daddy?" She whispered. Ross just winked at her.

Demelza kissed her and smiled. "Sweet learning my lover and have fun," Demelza whispered.

Julia waved and ran in the classroom.

____

"You must be Jeremy," the teacher said as they stood by the door. Jeremy looked at her and hid behind Demelza. Ross bent down and looked at him. "Say hello to your teacher," Ross said slowly. Jeremy waved while holding on to Demelza.

"Do you like building?" The teacher asked him. Jeremy nodded meekly. "We have lots of building toys, would you like to see?" Jeremy turned to Demelza and Ross who nodded at him. Jeremy nodded and shyly took her hand.

"Bye daddy," Jeremy said bravely. "Bye champ," Ross said, "I can't wait to hear about your building..."

"Bye mummy," Jeremy said sniffing up a tear. Demelza waved at him and blew him a kiss as the tears quickly fell as Jeremy walked into class.

"Demelza," Ross said worriedly. "I'll just miss him," Demelza said sighing, "I'll miss him and I doing things... He's my baby
.. after Elizabeth it was he and I Julia adored you and..." Ross stopped her with a kiss. "That woman will not be mentioned," Ross said slowly, "I think you and I and our little friend joining us soon, need an ice cream..." Demelza smiled at him and kissed him as Jeremy sat happily in his class.

Chapter Text

Demelza looked at her watch. "Demelza," Ross whispered, "we will leave in a moment, don't worry!" Demelza looked at him and nodded. "I hope he has been okay," Demelza whispered, "has he eaten his lunch, has he shared his toys..." Ross looked at her and took her hand. "Jeremy is such a loving boy," Ross whispered, "just like you..." Demelza looked at him. "Your loving too," Demelza said honestly, "you saved my life..." Ross smiled at her. "No," Ross said seriously, "you saved my life..."

Demelza kissed his hand. "You took on my brothers," she whispered. "I love them," Ross said honestly, "they are growing too much though, high school now, soon they will be running the farm..." Demelza looked at him. "Ross?" Demelza asked confused. "They love the farm, of course they will take over one day!" Ross exclaimed, "Jeremy has your flare for the cooking and Julia is certainly not a farmer..."

Demelza kissed him. "Thank you my lover..." Demelza whispered, "just thank you..."

___

Demelza jumped out of the car and looked at Ross smiling and then stopped as she saw Elizabeth and Francis walking towards them. "Oh God," Ross said groaning. "Ross," Demelza said looking at him, "be kind..." Ross just looked at her. "Ross," Francis said warmly, "We're here to pick up Geoffrey Charles..."

"Oh he comes here now," Demelza said slowly, "I thought he went to the super duper private school..." Elizabeth looked at her and then her stomach. Demelza put her hand on her stomach protectively. "He got expelled," Francis said laughing as Elizabeth shot him a glare. Demelza looked at Ross as he tried not to laugh. "Ross," Francis said slowly, "we miss you, I don't quite understand why you cut ties? Surely its not because of Elizabeth and I marrying..."

Demelza looked at Ross. "Elizabeth marrying you was the best thing that ever happened to me," Ross said honestly, "because I found the love of my life that evening, I am sorry Francis, I can't tell you, just be happy..." Francis looked at him. "Ask your wife," Ross said slowly, "just ask your wife..."

___

They stood outside the gate of Reception and saw other parents standing there. "Ross," Demelza said slowly. "How she has deceived him for all these years," Ross muttered to her, "I missed out on so much because of her lies..." Demelza looked at him. "Why haven't you told Francis?" Demelza asked him. "Because quite frankly he won't listen," Ross said sighing, "I don't want to talk about her, I want to talk about my baby boy, the baby boy I missed grow up for so long, so forgive me for not showing any sympathy..."

Demelza looked at him and nodded and then stopped as she saw the teacher come and open the gate. Demelza rushed to try and get to the door. "Demelza," Ross said shaking his head, "Your six months pregnant, dear God you're faster than Usain Bolt... Calm down..." Demelza looked at him and then smiled as she saw Jeremy standing there with his bag.

"How was he?" Demelza asked the teacher. "He was fine," she said smiling, "a few tears when he first got in, but he did some building, some coloring, he ate all his lunch, fish fingers and chips and then we went to play, he saw his sister at playtime, he was honestly fine..."

___

Jeremy ran to them and hugged Demelza tightly. "Mummy," he squealed, "are you okay? Is baby okay?" Demelza nodded and hugged him tightly. "Baby is fine and so am I, how are you little man? I want to hear all about your day?" Jeremy looked at her. "I had fun," he said slowly, "but do I need to go back tomorrow?" Demelza looked at him and nodded. "You do," she said slowly. "Do I get some love?" Ross asked slowly.

Jeremy hugged him tightly. Ross picked him up and kissed him. "Am I going for ice cream now?" Jeremy asked him. Ross looked at him and laughed. "Yes," Ross said smiling, "you can have anything you like..." Jeremy's eyes went like saucers.

"Shall we go and pick up Julia now?" Demelza asked them smiling. "I saw Julia," Jeremy said happily as he sat on Ross's shoulders, "at playtime... I made friends with her friends..." Ross looked at him. "Well that's good," Ross said, "and are they girls?" Jeremy nodded. "And a boy, he says he is my cousin..."

Demelza looked at Ross knowingly. "Well that's nice," Demelza said as they stopped by Julia's classroom, "I am glad you're making friends..." Ross looked at her and sighed and then sighed again as Francis and Elizabeth stood there. "It's okay," Demelza whispered to her. "Daddy!" Julia screamed as she ran out of the classroom.

___

Elizabeth turned and looked at Julia as she saw her run towards Ross and sighed. "Mummy," Geoffrey Charles says as he runs and hugs her, "my cousins are at this school..." Elizabeth smiled at him. "That's nice my dear," Elizabeth said slowly, "let's go home shall we, we have piano lessons in a minute..."

"My cousin is in my class!" Julia exclaimed. "That's wonderful," Demelza said smiling at her. "He said I could go round for tea one day," Julia said innocently. "Well we're going for Ice cream now," Ross said slowly, "I want to hear about my Prince and Princesses first day at school..."

"Thank you for my snack daddy," Julia whispered to him loudly. "What snack would that be?" Demelza asked looking at him. "Oh you know the normal," Ross said waving her away. "Choccy!" Jeremy exclaimed to her. Demelza looked at Ross with her hands on her hips. "I admit nothing," Ross said looking at her. Demelza looked at him seriously and then smiled at him. "You are..." Demelza started and then stopped as Elizabeth and Geoffrey-Charles walked past.

___

"Julia," Geoffrey-Charles said excitedly, "I'll see you tomorrow, I have to go to piano lessons..." Julia looked at him. "We're going for ice cream," Julia said happily, "my mummy makes it at her cafe...." Geoffrey-Charles looked at her. "Jealous," Geoffrey-Charles says, "I have to eat organic and no sweets, apparently its not good for you..." Demelza rolled her eyes. "Sounds a thrilling childhood," Demelza whispered. Elizabeth turned and looked at her sharply. Ross looked at her. "Be careful Elizabeth," Ross said to her, "remember one word and Francis will know, one word... so take your eye somewhere else..."

Elizabeth took Geoffrey-Charles hand and walked off with her head up. "Daddy, don't you like her?" Julia asked him. "No I don't," Ross said honestly. "Why?" Jeremy asked him. "Just because," Ross said sighing. "There must be a reason," Julia said seriously. "Let's just say she hurt mummy," Ross said slowly. "Then I hate her," Jeremy said seriously. "And she hurt daddy," Demelza whispered as she looked at Jeremy. "And then I hate her too," Julia said seriously. Ross looked at Demelza and laughed. How he loved his family.